1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a key ring comprising a metal ring with an open segment area for insertion and removal of keys. The ring is mounted in a handle portion having a circular guide groove receiving the ring such that it is rotatable therein, and a latch is associated with the handle portion for locking the metal ring to prevent its rotation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In some key rings designs the spring biased latches consist of springs in the form of hooks. If the spring consists of metal the spring usually is provided with a bent portion forming the hook; if the spring consists of plastic it usually has a protrusion which extends into the cutaway segment of the ring for locking the ring in position. An extension of the latch usually protrudes slightly from the handle so that, when depressed, the hook disengages the ring and permits rotation thereof. Upon rotation of the ring, the cutout area thereof is exposed permitting insertion of keys into the ring. Upon returning of the ring the latch again engages the ring for locking it in position.
In such a key ring, however, the latch extension has to protrude from the handle an appreciable amount so that the latch can be actuated; but this also facilitates unintended release of the ring so that the keys may be lost. Furthermore, praxis has shown that engagement of the ring by the hooks of the spring latch is not absolutely secure since the latch can be disengaged relatively easily by forced rotation of the ring at least in one direction of rotation resulting possibly in a loss of the keys from the key ring.
It is accordingly desirable to provide a key ring of the type described in which the key holding ring can be securely locked, that is in which unintended loss of the keys becomes quite unlikely, but which nevertheless has an attractive appearance.